CG2014 – The Rhett Diaries

In part of our ongoing commitment to South African Hockey and its continued exposure, we teamed up with the SA Men side to get some behind the scenes coverage of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. So for the next two weeks, our new guest columnist will be Rhett Halkett. And without further babble, here is the first post.

The XX Commonwealth Games. Glasgow, Scotland.

We arrived in Glasgow, the volunteers welcomed us with open arms and a little local culture.

The village is fantastic! They have catered for our every need: Hairdresser, polyclinic, recovery centre, recreational zones + an endless supply of food. It is a rather unique place to call “home” for a limited period of time. You wonder around a miniature town of elite athletes competing in a variety of sporting disciplines while remaining focused on your own personal individual or team aspirations.

We have been fortunate to enjoy a preparation phase in London where we competed in the London Investec Cup. This included 4 test matches. Directly after this we competed in a test series versus Wales. In total we played 6 test matches in the space of 7 days. Our record was: W 3 D 1 L 2. This preparation and time together as a team is invaluable when you are heading into a major tournament. A luxury we are often not afforded.

The excitement within the village is palpable and a festive atmosphere is always in the air as the days tick down to the opening ceremony and the start of the Games.

Two days to go until the opening ceremony and four days until our opening fixture vs Scotland.

You can follow the SA Hockey Men through a variety of new social media forums including Twitter: @SA_Hockey_Men, Facebook page: SA Hockey Men and there is a YouTube channel under construction. You can also follow Rhett on Twitter right here